A version of IE and Vex where vex has to treat IE like a wild animal. He pulls the plug from Zanes head and hands him the staff and realizes almost instantly he's locked in a cage with something viscous and violent- maybe it's the formling animal in him recognizing a predator, maybe it's that the Ice Emperor looks at everything like it's prey. He sees IE for the first time and KNOWS that even if he reaches out with a hand that always feeds, this dog will BITE. He can't back out now, can he? The web of lies is already spun- Vex is not the spider, not anymore. So he becomes the emperors mouthpiece and yes, he gets everything he wanted for so long, but his gaze whale eyes when the emperor moves too fast. In the palace halls, he feels hunted. There are teeth wrapped around his throat waiting for him to make a mistake
